Ventricular arrhythmias are dangerous and are particularly dangerous in post myocardial infarction patients. Ventricular arrhythmias are sometimes defined as abnormal rapid heart rhythms (arrhythmias) that originate in the lower chambers of the heart (the ventricles). Ventricular arrhythmias include ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. Both are life threatening arrhythmias most commonly associated with heart attacks or scarring of the heart muscle from previous heart attack.
Ventricular arrhythmias are potentially lethal in acute myocardial infarction patients leading to deaths of as many as six percent (6%) of acute myocardial infarction patients in the first year.
An indication of a patient's relative risk of developing a ventricular arrhythmia would allow one to manage the hazard going forward. An indication of relatively high risk for a patient developing a ventricular arrhythmia could typically lead to patient management, sometimes immediate patient management, diagnosis and perhaps eventually to implantable cardioversion defibrillator or implantable pacemakers.